Dry-pipe valve.



No. 723,264. PATE-Nun MAR..24-,' 1903.. 0.13. GARRBTT. DRY PIPE VALVE.

APPLOATION FILED MAR. '20, 1902.

I0 IODEL. l SHE TS-BHEETI.

No. 723,264. PATENTED MAR. 24, 1903.

C. B. GARRETT.

DRY PIPE VALVE.

APPLIOATION' FILED MAB. lzo, 1902.

mms frias o0. PHCYraLxTHO., wAsmNGToN D c UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES B. GARRETT, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO EMMA G. GARRETT, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, AND MAR GARET C. GARRETT, OF EAST DOVNINGTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

DRY-PIPE VALVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 723,264, dated March 24, 1903. Application filed March 20,1902. Serial No. 99,060. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, t may concern: within the base of the main riser 3 and se- Be it known that I, CHARLES B. GARRETT, cured to the upper iiange of the elbow 1. a citizen of the United States, residing at Between the peripheral portion of the said Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepiniand valve 7 and its seat afforded by the upper 5 State of Minnesota, have invented certain .end of the elbow 1 is placed a gasket or pack- 55 new and useful Improvements in Dry-Pipe ing-ring 10, of leather or rawhide. The valve Valves; and I do hereby declare the follow- 7 as preferably formed is bulged slightly uping to be a full, clear, and exact description ward at the center, is made elliptical, and is of the invention, such as will enable others provided at its under surface with astraight Io skilled in the art to which it appertains to track 7a, aorded by a bar or web extending 6o make and use the same. on the major laxis thereof. Furthermore,

My present invention relates to automatic said valve 7 is preferably formed of aluminifire-extinguishing systems of the dry-pipe `um, so as to make the same as light as postype, and has for its object to provide an imsible in view of the strength required. The

15 proved dry-pipe valve. v upwardly-bulged form of the valve increases 65 To the above ends the invention consists of its ability to withstand the air-pressure from -the novel devices and combinations of dewithin the main riser 3.

vices hereinafter described, and defined in The numeral 11 indicates a plug, which the claims. when removed opens up a hand-hole which 2o The invention is illustrated in the accomaffords access to the valve 7. 7o panying drawings, wherein like characters The numeral 12 indicates a tank, shown as indicate like parts throughout the several connected by a valved pipe 13 to the lower views. portion of the main riser 3. This tank or Figure 1 is a view in verticalsection taken cup 12 is adapted to contain glycerin to be 25 centrally through a dry-pipe valve vembodyconveyed by the pipe 13 into the base of the 75 ing the several features of my invention. main riser and onto the gasket or packing 10. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectiontaken approxi- In the construction illustrated the numeral mately on the line a02 x2 of Fig. 1, some parts 14 indicates a detachable cap secured tothe being broken away. Fig. 3 is a horizontal top of the elbow 1, and the numeral 15 indi- 3o section on the line c3 x3 of Fig. 2, some parts cates a detachable side plate secured to one 8o being broken away and others being removed. side or end of the elbow 1. Also, as shown, the Fig. 4 is a plan view in detail of the sonumeral 16 indicates a hand-hole plug in the called tripping-lever, and Fig. 5 is a botplate 15, andthe numeral17indicates another tom plan view of the so-called secondary hand-hole plugin one face of the elbow 1.

55 valve. The numeral 18 indicates an air-cock which 85 The body of the valve-case is afforded b opens through the lower portion of the plate a segmental section or elbow 1, into the lower 15 and is provided with a ball-valve 19,110'- portion of which a branch 2 from the streetcated in an enlarged seat therein. The numain opens, as clearlyshown in Figs. 1 and meral 20 indicates a similar air-cock which 4o 2. From the upper portion of the elbow 1 a opens through the upper portion of the plate 9o main riser 3 leads upward, as best shown in 15 and is provided with alballfvalve 21. Y j Fig. 1. The passage from the pipe 2 is nor- The primary valvea is normally held Vclosed mally closed by a primary valve 4, which, as directly by a toggle 22, one end of which is shown, is pivoted to the free end of an arm pivoted to the said valve and tothe free end 45 5, which in turn is pivoted to lugs 6 on the of the arm 5 and the other end of which is, 95 inner side of the elbow 1. In a similar manas shown, pivoted to lugs 23, depending from ner the outlet-passage from the elbow. into the cap 14.. To the intermediate joint of the the main riser 3 is normally closed by a sectoggle 22 is pivoted a strut 24, aorded by an ondary valve 7, pivoted to an arm 8, which in arm having a hooked free end 25,which is con- 5o turn is pivoted to lugs 9, shown as located nected by a spring 26 to the lower arm of the roo toggle, as shown in Fig. 1. Normally the hooked end 25 of the strut 24 engages with a transverse supporting bar or rod 27. One end ot this bar 27 is pivoted to a lug 2S on one side of the elbow 1while the free end thereof is detachably securable to a flange 29 on the otherside of the said elbow, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The free end of said bar 27 is pronged, so as to embrace the flange 29, and is provided with a set-screw 30, by means of which the said prongs may be tightly clamped to the said flange.

A long tripping-lever 3l is pivoted on a small shaft or pin 32, held by brackets 33, which, as shown, depend from the cap 14. The free end of this arm 31 is equipped with a roller 34, which engages andis adapted to run over the track 71 of the secondary Valve 7. Said arm 31 is provided with a depending lug or short arm 35,which is connected byaspring 36 to a lug 37 or other suitable anchoring device projecting from the inner surface of the elbow 1.

The numeral 38 indicates a short arm pivoted on the shaft 32 and yieldingly connected to the lug or arm 35 by a spring 39. This arm 38 affords a supplemental section to the lug or arm 35 and is adapted to be adjusted with respect thereto by means of a set-screw 40, working through the former and impinging on the latter.

When the parts are set as shown in the drawings, the air-pressure within the main riser 3 will hold the secondary valve 7 seated, said secondary valve will hold the trippingarm 31 in the normal position indicated against the tension of the spring 36, the free end of the supplemental arm 38 will hold the hooked end 25 of the strut 24 in engagement with the bar 27, and the said strut will in turn hold the toggle 22 in position to hold the primary valve 4 closed.

The numeral 4l indicates a counterweight adjustably secured on a rod or projection 42 of the arm 3l. By means of these counterweights the tripping-arm 3l may be so counterbalanced that the spring 36, acting through the Sallie, will have only the weight of the light valve 7 and its link 8 to raise when the main riser 3 is relieved from air- To lock t-he primary valve in an open position when .it has once been opened, I provide a lock, the best form of which is illustrated in the drawings, wherein the numeral 43 indicates a swing-pressed lock-pawl pivoted to the plate 15 and engageable at its free end with ratchetteeth 44, shown as cut on the upper arm of the toggle 22. fith this device, as is evident, when the toggle is buckled and the primary valve 4 is opened, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. l, the said pawl 43 will be thrown inward, as indicated by dotted lines, and by its engagement with the ratchet-teeth 44 will positively hold the toggle buckled and the said valve opened.

The numeral 45 indicates a small plunger which works through a small stuffing-box 46 in the elbow 1, with its inner end in position to be struck by the tripping-arm 31 when the latter is moved into its dotted-line position indicated in Fig. 1. This plunger 45 is normally pressed inward by a spring 47, shown as secured by one of the screws 14n, which hold the cap 14 in working position.

The numeral 48 indicates a Xed contactpiece insulated from the elbow 1, but secured thereto in position to be engaged by the spring or contact-piece 47 when the latter is moved outward by the outward movement of the plunger 45.

The numeral 49 indicates the leads of an annunciator-circuit, which lea-ds connect one to the contact or spring 47 and the other to the fixed contact 48.

A summary of the action of the device is as follows: As long as sufficient air-pressure is maintained in the main riser 3 the parts will be held in the positions indicated by full lines in Fig. l. When, however, the main riser is relieved from air-pressure (an action which will of course take place when any one or more of the automatic sprinklers connecting with the main riser are thrown into action) the secondary valve 7 will no longer beheld seated by such air-pressure. When this takes place, the spring 36 becomes active and throws the tripping-arm 3l into its dotted-line position, and thereby raises said secondary'val-ve into its opened position, as indicated by dotted lines. When the said tripping-lever is thus moved, the strut 24 is released and the pressure of the water in the primary valve 4 'then becomes effective to buckle the toggle and move the primary valve into its open position, in which position it will be held by the pawl 43, as already described. Under the buckling movement of the toggle 22 the hooked end 25 of the strut 24 is carried from engagement with the bar 27 and is then quickly thrown downward and out of the way, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. The tension of the spring 26 when the parts are in the normal positions indicated by full lines in Fig. 1 does not tend to buckle the toggle, but simply draws the hooked end 25 of the strut 24 downward into tight engagement with the bar 27. The movement of the tripping-lever 31 from its normal to its dotted-line position also serves to force outward the plunger 46, thereby throwing the contact-pieces 47 and 48 into engagement, so as to close the annunciatorcircuit and cause the distant annunciator (not herein shown) to be actuated, and thereby give warning or notice that one or more ot' the automatic sprinklers have been thrown into action, or, in other words, that the pressure :in the main riser has been relieved and that the secondary valve has been opened. Here it is important to note that the annunciator-circuit is closed whenever the secondary valve is opened and regardless of whether or not the primary Valve has been opened.

IOO

IIO

This I considera novel feature. As is evident, if the water in the supply-pipe 2 from the street-main or from the elevated tank, as the case may be, should happen to be shut off at the time the secondary valve is opened, as above described, it is evident that the primary valve would not be opened, even though the toggle and strut were released. Stated in another Way, I belive I am the first to provide an annunciator-circuit which will be closed when the air-seated secondary valve is released or opened while the supply of Water to the valve is cuto. It should also be noted that when the arm 3l and valve 7 are thrown into their dotted-line positions the former will stand approximately at a right angle to or on a dead-center with the face of said valve, so that downward pressure on the said valve will not cause the same to be closed. This is important, as it prevents the lvalve from being closed should the column of water in the main riser for any reason be allowed to back up or recede temporarily.

The lower air-vent 18 serves as a drip-cock to permit the slow escape of water which may possibly collect within the case 1 due lto slight leakage. However, any considerable current fiow or pressure of water within the case or elbow 1 will cause the valves 19 and 2l, respectively, to close the vents 18 and 20. The said vents 18 and 2O normally open the elbow 1 to the atmosphere and afford a supply of air within the same, and thereby prevent the secondary valve 7 from being held closed by suction or back pressure within the elbow, as might be the case were these air vents or cocks, or at least one of them, not provided. The upper air vent or cock is provided for additional safety.

To reset the parts of the device, it is only necessary to remove the plugs 16 and 17, so as to obtain access to the inner mechanism. The set-screw 40 will usually first be turned, so as to bring the supplemental arm 38 a little closer to the lug or arm 35. The bar 27 is also loosened and swung inward. Then the tripping-arm is drawn downward to allow the secondary valve to close and is held downward until sufficient air-pressure is applied within the riser 3 to hold the said valve closed against the tension of the spring 36. Then the toggle 22 is straightened out, so as to close the primary valve 4. The strut 24 is thrown upward into normal position, and, finally, the pivoted bar 27 is turned back into its normal position into engagement with the hooked end 25 of said detent and is then locked. The set-screw 40 should also then be turned to further separate the arms 35 and 3S and force the free end of the latter into engagement with the free hooked end of the strut 24. This being done and the pawl 43 ot' course having previously been moved back to its normal position, the valve as an entirety is again set ready for automatic action.

The numeral 50 indicates a draining-pipe which leads from the lower portion of the elbow l and is provided with a valve 51, by means of which it may be opened and closed; This pipe 50 serves to drain the whole system, which is supplied with water from the supply-pipe 2 and main riser 3.

It will of course be understood that the device above described is capable of many modifications within the scope of my invention as herein set forth and claimed.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows:

1. The combination with a valve casing or shell having inlet and outlet passages, of an inwardly-opening primary. valve normally closing said inlet-passage, an outwardly-opening secondary valve normally closing said outlet-passage and adapted to be held closed by air-pressure applied to the outer face thereof, a toggle normally holding said primary valve closed, and a yieldingly-pressed tripping-lever independent of said toggle normally preventing the buckling movement of said toggle and tending to open said secondary valve, but adapted to be overcome by the Aair-pressure applied to said secondary valve,

substantially as described.

2. The combination with a fluid-passage, of a valve normally closing said passage, a toggle normally holding said valve closed, a strut pivotally connected to the intermediate portion of said toggle, a bar or rest normally supporting the free end of said strut but permitting endwise movement thereof, and a tripping device normally acting on said strut to prevent endwise movements thereof and through said strut and toggle serving to hold the said Valve closed, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a valve-casing having an inlet-pipe and an outlet-pipe, of an inwardly opening primary valve normally closing the said inletpipe, an outwardlyopening secondary valve normally closing the passage into said outlet-pipe and adapted to be held closed by air-pressure from within said outlet-pipe, a pivoted spring-pressed tripping-lever normally tending to open said secondary valve but adapted to be restrained by the air-pressure on said valve, a toggle normally holding said primary valve closed, a transverse supporting-bar within said case, and a strut pivoted to said toggle, supported by said bar and normally held against endwise movement by said tripping-lever, substantially as described.

4. The combination with the casing 1, inletpipe 2 and riser 3, of the valves 4 and 7 normally closing said pipe 2 and riser, respectively, a tripping-lever 311 subject to the spring 36 and operating at its free end on said valve- 7, as described, the adj ustable'supplemental arm 38 carried by said tripping-lever, and the toggle 22 normally holding said Valve 4 closed, the supporting-bar 27 pivoted at one end and detachably supported at its other end, andV the strut 24 connected tothe intermediate ICO IIO

joint of said toggle and provided at its free end with the hook 25 normally engaging said bar 27 and held against movement by the supplemental arm 38 of said tripping-lever, substantially as described.

5. In a dry-pipe valve, the combination with a primary valve normally holding back the Water-supply, of a secondary air-seated valve, an oscillating tripping-arm for opening said secondary valve when said valve is relieved from air-pressure, a device for holding said primary valve closed, itself normally held. in Working position by said trippingarm, and an annunciator-circuit arranged to be closed, under that movement of said trip which opens said secondary valve, and regardless of Whether or not said primary valve is opened, substantially as described.

6. The combination Withacase or shell havingFh an inlet and outlet passage, of an inwardly-opening primary valve normally closing said inlet-passage, au outwardly-opening' secondary valve normally closing said outletpassage and adapted to be seated under airpressure, a toggle normally holding said primary valve closed and provided with a projecting strut, and a tripping,r device normally under spring-pressure tending to open said secondary valve, said tripping device in volv-l ing the arm 31 with projection 35, and the supplemental arm 38 pivoted to said arm 3l, yieldingly connected to said projection 35 by spring 39 and provided with the set-screw 40 for adjusting' the same, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES B. GARRETT.

Witnesses:

E. H. KELEHER, F. D. MERCHANT. 

